1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to internal combustion engines. More particularly, the invention concerns an internal combustion engine that is fueled by a mixture of hydrogen and ozone.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The great majority of internal combustion engines in present use are fueled by hydrocarbon fossil fuel that exhausts hydrocarbons, nitric oxides, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. As a result of the high levels of pollution in the atmosphere from current engines, the U.S. Government has set new emission standards for automotive vehicle engines, which require a considerable reduction in pollutants over the next several years.
Because of the pollution problems caused by conventional internal combustion engines, electric battery driven and various other engines have been suggested for powering automotive vehicles. However, the gasoline powered internal combustion engine has retained widespread usage in automobiles and trucks because of its ability to operate over a wide range of power demands and speeds and its ability to be relatively inexpensively manufactured.
The present invention contemplates using the basic conventional internal combustion engine design because of its reliability and other proven qualities. However, rather then using fossil fuels, the power plant system of the present invention is adapted to use hydrogen as a fuel both for the purpose of reducing harmful exhaust emissions and also for providing a more efficient engine. The hydrogen fueled power plant system of the invention as disclosed herein can be used in connection with vehicles, but also can be used for power plant purposes other than powering a vehicle.
In contrast to hydrocarbon fueled internal combustion engines, the hydrogen-ozone fueled power plant system of the present invention will emit virtually no pollutants with the virtual elimination of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Further, due to the unique design of the power plant system of the invention, the steam produced during the combustion cycle is condensed and then recycled through a closed system for reuse in producing the hydrogen-ozone fuel used to power the internal combustion engine component of the system.
The use of hydrogen and oxygen as a fuel for internal combustion engines is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,097 issued to Mittelstaedt. As disclosed in the Mittelstaedt patent, liberated hydrogen and oxygen gases are introduced into the combustion zone of the engine as a fuel where the gases are introduced into the intake line of the engine to combine with the intake air or fuel or mixture thereof to enrich and improve the charge to promote combustion to produce less toxic combustion products, to increase power, to increase the efficiency of the engine, and/or to economize on fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,091 issued to Bannister et al discloses a power plant that combusts hydrogen with oxygen in a high pressure combustor to produce steam. The produced steam is mixed with cooling steam before being sent to a high pressure expander which expands the steam and generates rotating shaft power. The expanded steam is mixed with steam from the combustion of the hydrogen and oxygen in an intermediate pressure combustor and is expanded in an intermediate pressure turbine, thus creating more rotating shaft power. The steam from the intermediate pressure turbine is fed into a heat recovery steam generator that cools the steam and heats water streams to form cooling steam for at least one of the turbines and combustors. The now cooled steam exits the steam generator and passes through a low pressure turbine thereby generating more rotating shaft power and is condensed into water streams for heating into cooling steam in the steam generator.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,262 issued to Dieges discloses an open-cycle, internal combustion engine that uses in combination oxygen and hydrogen burned as fuel in the combustion chamber of the engine. In the Dieges apparatus, the oxygen and hydrogen is mixed with a surplus gas and comprises a substantially closed system which circulates the surplus gas through the system for reuse and expels only the water of combustion to the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,865 Dalal relates to a method and apparatus for a combustion of hydrogen to produce heat for generating steam for power generation. The Dalal apparatus includes two electrolytic cells which generate hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis of acidulated water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,081 issued to Pak et al discloses a hydrogen-oxygen burning turbine plant which comprises a closed loop turbine cycle including a compressor, a hydrogen/oxygen combustor and a turbine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,844 issued to Persinger discloses a method and apparatus for improving the efficiency of an internal combustion engine by producing ozone gas and positively charged air particles in a supply of air to an engine. The apparatus comprises an ozone generator cell suitably position with respect to the engine so that an air supply to the engine passes between adjacent tubes of the ozone generator.
Unlike the prior art devices of the character discussed in the preceding paragraphs, the apparatus of the present invention uniquely captures the steam generated during the combustion of the hydrogen and ozone fuel, condenses the steam to produce water which is scrubbed and returned to the fuel tank in a closed system.